1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to honeycomb-shaped electric elements and honeycomb-shaped thermoelectric elements having a plurality of through holes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, thermoelectric elements as one kind of electric elements have been rapidly developed for effective use of unused energy. The thermoelectric element has been desired to have greater electric power generation from the standpoint of increasing the energy conversion rate.
In order to enhance the electric powder generating rate, there is a method in which thermoelectric element units are connected to one another in series and in parallel to form a thermoelectric element composite composed of a plurality of the thermoelectric element units. Further, as described in JP-A 55-53,470 of NGK Insulators, Ltd., there is also available a method for obtaining a large amount of the electric power by a structure in which thermoelectric element units are formed from honeycomb-shaped structural bodies made of a p-type or n-type semiconductor material such that a part of each of the honeycomb-shaped structural bodies is designed as a high temperature fluid-passing zone, and the remainder as a low temperature fluid-passing zone to form a large temperature difference in the single thermoelectric element unit, and a plurality of the honeycomb-shaped structural bodies are connected to one another in series.
However, the method in which a plurality of the thermoelectric element units are connected to one another in series and in parallel, contact resistance occurs in joints between the adjacent thermoelectric element units preventing generation of sufficient electric power for the size of the entire thermoelectric element.
Further, the method described in JP 55-53,470 has the problems that the thermoelectric element becomes bulky due to the series connection, and that sufficient electric power generated cannot be generated relative to the size of the thermoelectric element.